Small Worlds

Small Worlds is the story-play gallery for the very young at The Story Museum, and it's open for under-fives to explore. It's set up as a patchwork land of picture books, nursery rhymes and traditional tales, with five story-themed zones for children to play through. You can go on a Bear Hunt, discover Traction Man's under-sink world, relax in the Night Safe, ride the Story Bus and tuck into a bedtime story in a giant bed. There's also Elmer, a storytelling space created with Andersen Press to mark the 35th anniversary of David McKee's patchwork elephant.

Each 60-minute session starts with a song, then a Story Guide tells the week's featured story. The stories follow monthly themes, like Monster Mayhem or Magic, so what you hear changes depending on when you visit. After that, grown-ups and children explore the zones together. It's designed for the very young, so it's as much about the playing as the listening.

Small Worlds sits inside The Story Museum at 42 Pembroke Street, OX1 1BP, a family museum that celebrates stories through immersive exhibitions, galleries and events for children, families and adults. The main Galleries include a Whispering Wood, an Enchanted Library and a Story Arcade, so there's plenty more to see around the gallery if you've got the time.

Sessions run Tuesday to Sunday during term-time at 10:15, 11:45, 13:15 and 14:45, and daily during the holidays with an extra 16:15 slot. Tickets are £7.50 to £8.25 per person, and half-price sessions are £3.75 per person.